Binge Drinking and its Impact on the Human Brain

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Effects Alcohol has on the Brain5

Men vs. Women and the Effects of Alcohol6

Case Studies7

Women more affected by binge drinking7

Blackouts & Memory Lapses8

Alcohol and the Developing Brain9

Future Recommendations10

Conclusion10

Binge Drinking and its Impact on the Human Brain

Introduction

The thesis for this study is, “Binge drinking, at early developmental stages in life, alters brain activities in an irreversible manner, having a greater impact on the female brain functions in comparison to the male brain.” Binge drinking has become a form of social entertainment and has, unfortunately, found its way into the lives of our young and developing adults. Walk onto a college campus and you can tell the various student groups from afar. You can tell which kids are politically active, which are interested in sports and which are just out to have a good time. Unfortunately, a good time generally means an out of control party. At most times, one does not even need a proper invitation. Abundance of booze and loud music is a symbol of a good time. Groups like these, especially in college, are influencing young adults heavily. It is the primary cause for binge drinking.

When questioned about the reasons why young adults were attracted to such groups to begin with was rather surprising. Student drinkers choose to participate in such behavior as a means to fit in with the crowd. In the minds of these party animals, such behavior is expected. Those that behave differently are ridiculed and socially outlawed. Nobody wants to be a loner and social acceptance is deemed as a valid reason to participate in the excessive abuse of alcohol. It would not be entirely incorrect to term drinking as an individual choice. With the aid of social networking, rankings have developed based on which college can drink the most. Rivals often try to out drink each other and find themselves too hung over to get to class in the morning.

There is an abundance of evidence regarding the negative effects of alcohol. For example, a recent study (Stolle et.al, 2009) suggested that early sexual activity, surge in unwanted teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases can all be linked to binge drinking. It went on to state that approximately fifty percent of young women reporting assault were under the influence at the time of the alleged event.

Effects Alcohol has on the Brain

Alcohol has always mystified scientific researchers. Work is regularly being done on alcohol's neurological effects. New theories regularly surface. With advances in science, it has been found that alcohol is a sedative-hypnotic. It has been observed that individuals with sleep apnea experience more severe and longer episodes after drinking alcohol. They also exhibit hypoxia as well.

In other people, alcohol acts as a stimulant. Its association and representation with violent and self destructive behavior is well researched. At higher levels, alcohol causes blood vessels to relax and widen. This is known as acting as a vasodilator. At even higher levels, alcohol functions as ...